ALERT! Here’s what happened.
Recently I received an email about WD-40 entitled “The main ingredient in WD-40 GOTTTA READ”. The message included a list of over 40 ways that you could use the product and concluded with P.S. the basic ingredient is FISH OIL. My brother is a scientist and when he read the message, he decided to make sure the information was true.
He found that same information has been circulating since at least 2006, and it’s an urban myth that fish oil is the main ingredient. WD-40 is a great product and has many uses around our homes when we follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Things to consider.
Tip #1 – Do your own research; don’t believe everything in print or on the Internet.
To find out what ingredients are in a product, go to your favorite search engine and type in (Product Name) MSDS. You could type in WD-40 MSDS or Tide MSDS, or any other product name with MSDS. MSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheet and one must be filed by the manufacturer for each product containing chemicals or hazardous materials. It typically includes information such as:
- Manufacturer’s name and contact information
- Name of the product
- What are the intended uses of the product
- What to do in case of an emergency when using the product
- Symptoms of over exposure
- Ingredients in the product
- First aid measures
- What to do in case of a fire
- What to do if it is accidently spilled
- How to handle and store the product
- How to protect oneself when using the product
- How to dispose of the product
In reviewing WD-40’s main ingredients on the MSDS, 45 – 50% by weight is aliphatic hydrocarbon and up to 25% is petroleum base oil. Not knowing what ‘aliphatic hydrocarbon’ is, I went back to my favorite search engine. Among other information, the following came up:
“Short-term exposure to these solvents may cause dizziness, giddiness, nausea and headaches, irritation to skin and eyes, and euphoria sometimes resulting in unconsciousness. Long-term effects include muscular weakness, blurred vision, headache, fatigue, numbness, damage to lungs and skin, and neurological disorders.”
Tip #2 – Follow the manufacturer’s intended uses for the product.
In the email, it was suggested that WD-40 is used by some: “folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain”. WARNING – never apply products to your body if that is not the product’s intended use. When reading WD-40’s MSDS, the manufacturer states “avoid prolonged skin contact. Chemical resistant gloves recommended for operations where skin contact is likely”. Rubbing WD-40 on one’s body to relieve arthritis pain is not a recommended use by the manufacturer.
If chemicals in products contact your skin, they can be absorbed into your body. When we breathe the fumes from a product we are using in an enclosed space with no ventilation, there are bound to be physical effects on our body.
ACT NOW! Here’s the good news about what you can do.
Do research and fact checking using trusted resources such as Material Safety Data Sheets, Consumer Reports, and go to www.greenguard.org.
Know what health problems could be triggered when the products are inhaled or absorbed into your skin such as allergies, asthma, or worse yet with your family members.
Read all the labels and use the products according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Whenever using products that have fumes or heavy odors, open the windows, or use the products outdoors whenever possible.
